Fable of the Day (Greek): The Lion and The Fox

[Laura Gibbs]

Λέων ἐγκάθειρκτος καὶ ἀλώπηξ

Another fable from Syntipas - check out the GreekAesop wiki for more information about Syntipas and his fables! I've included the text and a segmented version here; for grammar notes and more information, please visit the wiki. You can keep up with the latest Bestiaria posts by using the RSS feed, or you can subscribe by email. And now, here is Syntipas, Fable 17.

The Caged Lion and The Fox = Perry 409 (English translation: Oxford Aesop 222)

Ἀλώπηξ θεασαμένη ἐγκάθειρκτον λέοντα, καὶ τούτου στᾶσα ἐγγύς, δεινῶς αὐτὸν ὕβριζεν. ὁ δὲ λέων ἔφη πρὸς αὐτήν “οὐ σύ με καθυβρίζεις, ἀλλ’ ἡ προσπεσοῦσά μοι ἀτυχία.”

Οὗτος δηλοῖ ὡς πολλοὶ τῶν ἐνδόξων δυσπραγίαις περιπίπτοντες ὑπὸ εὐτελῶν ἐξουθενοῦνται.

Segmented text for easier reading:

Ἀλώπηξ

θεασαμένη

ἐγκάθειρκτον λέοντα,

καὶ

τούτου στᾶσα ἐγγύς,

δεινῶς αὐτὸν ὕβριζεν.

ὁ δὲ λέων

ἔφη πρὸς αὐτήν

“οὐ σύ

με καθυβρίζεις,

ἀλλ’ ἡ προσπεσοῦσά μοι ἀτυχία.”

Οὗτος δηλοῖ ὡς

πολλοὶ

τῶν ἐνδόξων δυσπραγίαις

περιπίπτοντες

ὑπὸ εὐτελῶν ἐξουθενοῦνται.

[Frank Fasano]

I appreciate very much hearing you read the Latin proverbs and quotes on your blog. Thank you.
It has been over fifty years since I have reador heard classical Greek. I know you are very busy but have you ever considered reading aloud the Greek fables from your blog? I would love to hear classical Greek again.
Ad multos annos.
Frank

[Laura Gibbs]

Thank you so much, Frank! The controversies about how to pronounce ancient Greek are even more fierce than the ones about Latin - sometimes I just want to give up doing any oral Latin because some people are really tyrannical about it... but it's so much fun that I keep on doing it for the sheer pleasure of it.

When summer comes I think it would be a blast to add some audio to the Greek stories, and I think I can do that using the ning.com software here, since you can upload audio files and video files. Just two more weeks until summer time!!! I definitely hope to be doing more fun Latin and Greek stuff - including audio - when the semester is over. I don't actually teach Latin and Greek... it's more of a hobby - but a very addictive one!

Thanks again for your nice comment and I appreciate the encouragement very much! There will be Greek Aesop audio! :-)

[Ana Ovando]

I'll be waiting for that audio too! It's a wonderful idea.

[Frank Fasano]

Thank you for your response. I studied Latin and Greek in the mid fifties. Thanks to you it is becoming a delicious addiction . Keep up the good work and Illegitimi non carborundum or something to that effect. I remember reading it somewhere.